Breadcrumb

JK Rowling's 'The Casual Vacancy' To Be Turned Into BBC Drama

JK Rowling recently published her adult novel 'The Casual Vacancy' and although the new books have received mixed reviews, the book is set to be made into a BBC One drama series.

The novel tells a tale of darkness and dysfunction, shown in early 2014, in an 'idyllic' West Country village and it's now been revealed that BBC producers have snapped up the idea, even if it is still in the 'very early stages'.

Rowling’s agent, Neil Blair, will produce the series through his own independent production company and the author will be closely involved with the project, after negotiating the deal on the author's behalf.

It is still in the very early stages - the number of episodes will be decided “once the creative adaptation process has formally begun”, the BBC said.

The author spent five years on the follow-up to her huge success with the Harry Potter books and is 'thrilled' with the commission.

“I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home,” she said to The Telegraph.

Danny Cohen, controller of BBC One, said: “JK Rowling’s storytelling is, of course, peerless in its popularity and I am looking forward to collaborating with her."

“This project highlights the ambition and scale of BBC One drama, as well as the ability of modern television to attract the world’s biggest talent and most exciting creative ideas.”

And although the book had mixed reviews from critics, many of whom were pretty shocked when the tales of darkness proved to be a little much, when themes such as child abuse, rape, self-harm and heroin addiction were included, fans still flocked to buy it when it hit shelves back in September and snapped up a whopping 125,000 copies in the first week of publication alone.